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Creating Space Where Youth, Culture & Accessibility Meet!
For Students, Teachers, & Supporters
For Students, Teachers, & Supporters
For Students, Teachers, & Supporters
Who We Are
The Youth Alliance for Intersectional Justice (YAIJ)
We're a Black youth-led collective of racialized and neurodiverse youth, adults, and allies in Umbutu - an understanding of our interconnectedness, collective justice and equity. We're here to amplify the voices of youth who have a variety of labels related to race, dis/ability, sexuality, gender expression, economic status, and other social labels.
At the centre of our organization are racialized youth with intellectual and/or developmental disability (I/DD) labels.
Youth challenge special needs labels by taking up space, teaching, and learning on their own terms, and directing their own life stories.
We develop youth-centred, community-based projects and research focused on education, technology, housing, employment, and entrepreneurship.
OUR GRATITUDE
OUR GRATITUDE
OUR GRATITUDE
We honour the ancestors who came before us, their sacrifices, triumphs and incredible contributions to what we now call "North America" and globally. It is with gratitude and humility that we walk this path, with deep understandings of who we are, the power we possess, and our ancestral responsibility to nurture and nourish future generations.
OUR VISION
OUR GRATITUDE
OUR GRATITUDE
We envision communities where youth and young adults positioned at the intersections of race, disability, gender expression, sexuality, SES, and other socially constructed categories, are meaningfully and equitably engaged in society.
Our vision is to be a trusted resource, a cultivated space where youth, young adults and their families ar
We envision communities where youth and young adults positioned at the intersections of race, disability, gender expression, sexuality, SES, and other socially constructed categories, are meaningfully and equitably engaged in society.
Our vision is to be a trusted resource, a cultivated space where youth, young adults and their families are instrumentally supported to be the primary narrators of their own life stories.
OUR MISSION
OUR GRATITUDE
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to uplift and meaningfully support young people to be seen, heard, and felt in spaces lacking culturally enriched and neurodiverse youth.
Through Peer Programs, Community Collaborations and Youth-led projects, youth focus on self-empowerment, economic empowerment, intersectional justice, and education equity.
YAIJ strives t
Our mission is to uplift and meaningfully support young people to be seen, heard, and felt in spaces lacking culturally enriched and neurodiverse youth.
Through Peer Programs, Community Collaborations and Youth-led projects, youth focus on self-empowerment, economic empowerment, intersectional justice, and education equity.
YAIJ strives to be a valuable resource helping neurodiverse young people to navigate education, technology, housing, employment, and entrepreneurial systems across Canada.
What is Intersectional Justice?
What do we mean by intersectional justice?
How is it different from social justice?
How is it related to youth with disabilities?
New in Canada: Black & Neurodiverse Artists Share Life & Art
YAIJ's Healing Arts Exhibit 2023
It was a powerful weekend of art, narration, dance, and good vibes. For the first time Black and racialized autistic youth curated their own art exhibit, sharing their narratives through visual art, spoken word, and dance, covering important topics like racism, homophobia, and ableism.
Meet Artist in Residence (AiR): Ali
Ali is an artist in the GTA. Ali (them/they) is a Black neuroqueer visual and spoken word, rap artist and storyteller.
Ali has has been working on their craft for years and their work is deep, blending rock, metal, rap, and spoken word, sharing the struggles and triumphs of life, love, and their passion.
See what Ali is into by checking out our AiR blogs and vlogs!
Meet Artist in Residence (AiR): Kieshawn
Kieshawn is a rap artist in the Toronto area, with a hardcore style of rap that's impossible to ignore.
Kieshawn raps about his life in the GTA, his passions, and the everyday struggles of being young, neurodiverse, and Black.
Check out Kieshawn's blogs and vlogs as he makes his way in Toronto's music industry. Will he make it? (Of course!) Kieshawn will be featured regularly in our Artist in Residence (AiR) series.
In the News
YAIJ in the News
Local and national initiatives in the press.
Co-Founders Jantz & Carolyn on CTV
Sharing insights about Jantzson's journey and how YAIJ got started.
YAIJs Healing Arts Exhibit in the News
Performance artist Nathan Baya talks about YAIJ's Healing Arts Exhibit, and his own experiences taking care of his autistic daughter.
